Properties Magazine September 2017 : Page 75

Going Forward With Green Green Goals Cleveland 2030 District targets improved operational efficiency of commercial buildings By Cindy Cicigoi Cleveland 2030 District T he Cleveland 2030 District began its work about five years ago. It is a non-profit organization helping local commercial buildings save money and reduce their environmental impact by conserving energy and water. The organization also focuses on reducing commuter transportation emissions. The goal, as outlined by Architecture 2030’s Challenge for Planning, is to reduce all three by 50% by the year 2030. Districts are gaining traction around North America. Cleveland was the second city, following Seattle, to create a District. There are now 17 cities that have committed to these goals and sev-eral more are emerging. water supply of the southwest United States. The Great Lakes are one of the largest fresh water resources left on the planet. As a Great Lakes city, Cleveland holds a special responsibil-ity to conserve and properly manage this valuable resource. is compounded by the need to use more energy to treat and distribute clean water. With algae blooms and increas-ingly damaging storm events further threatening our freshwater supply, it is now more important than ever to conserve and manage how we use water from and back to Lake Erie. Energy The reasons for focusing on these goals are clear. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, commercial buildings consume almost 50% of the energy used in the United States. Of that, EPA Energy Star estimates that 30% is wasted through inefficiencies. Energy Star also reports that in office buildings, for example, energy costs represent about one third of their operating bud-gets and 20% of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). The Great Lakes are one of the largest fresh water resources left on the planet. As a Great Lakes city, Cleveland holds a special responsibility to conserve and properly manage this valuable resource. Having commercial buildings focus on management and conservation allows the reduction of overflow, par-ticularly in large storm events that tax the sewer system and pollute Lake Erie. The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District calculates that 4.5 bil-lion gallons of untreated wastewater goes into Lake Erie annually. The issue Transportation Water As the demand for water has tripled over the last 50 years, freshwater access has diminished globally, and annual droughts have ravaged the ground-As for transportation, the EPA states that in 2013, transportation represented 27% of the total U.S. GHG emissions and of that, 60% is from light duty vehicles (com-muters). It is important to focus on transportation not only to reduce CO2 emissions, but also to create a better, more accessible urban environ-ment. With more people working and living in the downtown area, there is a natural fit to promote sustainable com-muter transportation options. Reducing emissions is particularly important for Cleveland given that, according to the American Lung Association’s 2016 report, Cleveland ranks #11 for people www.propertiesmag.com 75